Puerto Rico snorkeling: Culebra, Vieques and the best spots near San Juan
Puerto Rico's best snorkeling: Culebra's Tamarindo and Carlos Rosario, Vieques, Icacos by catamaran from Fajardo, Escambrón in San Juan and Steps Beach in Rincón.
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Puerto Rico's best snorkeling is not on the main island but on its two small neighbors, Culebra and Vieques, sometimes called the Spanish Virgin Islands. On the main island, a catamaran trip from Fajardo, a sheltered San Juan beach and the west coast in summer are all worth your time.
Map of Puerto Rico snorkel spots
Culebra
Tamarindo Beach
Culebra
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- March to August
- Facilities
- None
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Turtles grazing sea grass, rays
How to get there
About 10 minutes by car or golf cart from the ferry dock in Dewey. Part of a marine reserve.
18.316° N, 65.318° WDirections
Carlos Rosario Beach
Culebra
- Level
- 2 of 5
- Entry
- Shore after a hike
- Depth
- 3–30 ft
- Visibility
- Excellent
- Best months
- Calm days
- Facilities
- None
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Healthy reef, reef fish, rays
How to get there
Walk about 20 minutes from Flamenco Beach's west end on a dirt trail. Bring water.
18.329° N, 65.330° WDirections
Melones Beach
Culebra
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, rocky
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Calm days
- Facilities
- None
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef along the rocks, sunset views
How to get there
Short walk from Dewey town.
18.300° N, 65.310° WDirections
Vieques
Esperanza and Cayo Afuera
Vieques
- Level
- 2 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, swim to the cay
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Calm days
- Facilities
- Town nearby
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish, turtles
How to get there
From the Esperanza malecón, swim out to the small cay (Cayo Afuera). Watch for boats.
18.093° N, 65.470° WDirections
Vieques also has bioluminescent Mosquito Bay, one of the brightest in the world. It is a kayak trip, not a snorkel, and swimming in the bay is not allowed.
Main island
Icacos and Palomino
Off Fajardo
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Boat only
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- On the boat
- Fees and permits
- Included in tour
- What you'll see
- Coral patches, reef fish
How to get there
Catamaran day trips from Fajardo marinas, about an hour from San Juan by car.
18.384° N, 65.587° WDirections
Balneario El Escambrón
San Juan
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–15 ft
- Visibility
- Fair to good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Restrooms, lifeguards, parking
- Fees and permits
- Parking fee
- What you'll see
- Reef fish, sometimes turtles
How to get there
In Puerta de Tierra between Old San Juan and Condado. A breakwater shelters the beach.
18.465° N, 66.085° WDirections
Steps Beach (Tres Palmas)
Rincón, west coast
- Level
- 2 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, rocky
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good in summer
- Best months
- May to September
- Facilities
- None
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Elkhorn coral, turtles
How to get there
In the Tres Palmas marine reserve. In winter, big surf makes it dangerous.
18.354° N, 67.263° WDirections
Gilligan's Island (Cayo Aurora)
Guánica, south coast
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore from a ferry
- Depth
- 2–8 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Basic
- Fees and permits
- Ferry fare
- What you'll see
- Mangrove channels, small reef fish
How to get there
Small ferry from Playa Santa area in Guánica. Part of a forest reserve; limited daily capacity.
17.950° N, 66.877° WDirections
Getting to Culebra and Vieques
- Ferries leave from Ceiba, about an hour east of San Juan. Buy tickets online in advance; weekends and holidays sell out.
- Flights from San Juan or Ceiba take about 30 minutes in small planes.
- On the islands, rent a golf cart or a jeep; taxis are limited.
Tips
- Bring water and shade to Carlos Rosario and other hike-in beaches.
- Winter surf affects the north and west coasts; summer is calmer.
- Use mineral sunscreen; see best reef-safe sunscreen.
Just east, the US Virgin Islands have more great snorkeling, and our Caribbean ranking compares 15 islands.
